Every agency knows the email. A brand reaches out asking for a proposal and a budget. Within hours, teams are pulling together ideas, strategies and plans in the hope of winning the work.
This first contact comes without a meeting or a request for one. There is limited context, no real sense of chemistry and little clarity around the budget. Just a request to submit a proposal.
Agencies respond because this is what we do. We are wired to solve problems and show up with ideas. Every opportunity matters and we are always grateful to be considered. However, this approach can simultaneously create challenges for both sides.
Preparing a thoughtful proposal takes time and focus. When agencies invest this effort without a prior discussion, there is always a risk that the thinking misses the mark simply because the brief did not provide enough context.
A numbers exercise
Sometimes the response is that there is no budget, the fit is not right or the direction has changed. Occasionally, there is no response at all.
It has, at times, become a numbers exercise. Brands approach several agencies at once and wait to see what comes back. This raises a simple question. How can either side properly assess whether there is a good fit without first having a conversation?
Without understanding the real business challenge, internal expectations or budget parameters, agencies are left to make assumptions, which doesn’t always lead to the best outcome.
There are two areas worth reconsidering. The first is the value of strategic thinking. Campaign ideas and direction are not administrative steps. They are the core service agencies provide. When detailed proposals are requested before a relationship has begun, it can blur the boundaries of what a pitch should reasonably involve.
A sense of the people
The second is people. Many agencies offer similar services. What often determines success is the relationship between the agency team and the client team. Trust, working style and shared expectations are difficult to evaluate through documents alone.
They become clearer through conversation, where both sides can get a sense of the people behind the work and determine whether there is a natural connection.
For brands looking to appoint an agency, a simple shift could make a difference. Start with a meeting. Allow space for questions. Share context and provide early guidance on the available budget. Then decide whether there is alignment before requesting detailed proposals.
Feedback should always be part of the process. Tell us where we fell short. Was the issue budget, chemistry or our strategic approach? This kind of feedback helps agencies learn, improve and refine how we respond in the future.
Is the brief dead?
Our agency was invited to meet with a brand recently for an in-person meeting. The only request was to prepare a few slides on some of the work we have done and are proud of. No grand strategy or fully fledged campaign ideas. No deep dive into their business before we had even met.
We sat down, face-to-face, and had a proper conversation about what they were looking for and whether we were the right agency to provide it. It felt honest and more importantly, it felt respectful.
So, is the brief dead? Not at all. A clear brief still has value. What needs refinement is how it is introduced.
Starting with a conversation sets a stronger foundation. It allows proposals to be more focused, more realistic and more aligned to real needs. Agency selection works best when it is built on dialogue, clarity and mutual respect rather than volume alone.
Davina Malan is managing partner at Tribeca Public Relations.
